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Ornamental GrassesOrnamental grasses may be grown in your garden amongst the flowers or
clumped in an open space for a natural effect and to add a vertical
dimension. If you decide to add them to a flower garden, choose the type
carefully, for some are extremely invasive and others may cast unwanted
shade over your flowers.
Ornamental grasses differ from lawn grass in that frequent mowing
weakens and eventually kills them. They can be small, clumping ground
covers like blue fescue or the popular mondo grass, or stately spires
like Chinese Silver Grass, towering to 20 ft. Some, like Red Switch
Grass, have beautiful fall color. For a grass with strong colors try
Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra'. It has tallish strap like blades of deep
burgundy mixed with a green that is almost jade.
Tall grasses can be stunning used as a single specimen in the middle of
the lawn, or in a landscape with trees and rocks. Most grasses have few
diseases or pests to worry about and nothing could be easier to care
for, so if you are pushed for time or not into major gardening,
ornamental grasses may be the ideal solution.
The beauty of many grasses is not only in their leaves but the seed.
Often seed is born in tall spires above the clump and not only hangs on
for months, but offers food to birds and insects.
Pennisetum villosum
has soft and fluffy seed heads in the late summer, while the delicate
feathery seed heads of Stipa calamagrostis will last right through to
fall. Stipa gigantea is a larger variety as the name suggests. Many seed
heads last for ages when picked and dried and make wonderful indoor
decorations.
Many grasses also have flowers that are attractive, like Melica uniflora,
which has tiny, beadlike flowers borne on slender, arching spikes. It
requires shade to grow well and looks fantastic teamed with ferns. Some
grasses like Lamarckia aurea, are annuals. This one has unusual
downswept flower spikes.
Shorter grasses can also be used for borders and edgings, enclosing
pretty annuals within a green framework. Blue fescue grown with black
mondo grass can give an unusual and effective, yet extremely simple
appeal in a small garden if grown in a checkerboard pattern.
Use the
grasses alone, with small, clumping annual flowers or even squares of
white pebbles to give a lift. Phalaris arundinacea 'Feesey's Form', the
less common variety of gardener's garters, has a white stripe down the
center of the leaf that makes it most attractive.
Many woodland grasses thrive in heavy shade in spite of the root
competition of overhanging trees, because this is similar to their
natural habitat, so if you have a spot that is difficult to grow flowers
in, think in terms of grasses instead.
Warning! Ribbon Grass, though beautiful, is one of those that are
extremely invasive. Plant it in a bottomless container to prevent it
spreading.
Red Baron or Japanese Blood Grass, so called for its beautiful coloring
also spreads, but is not so invasive as Ribbon Grass. Lemon grass, while
not madly attractive, can be picked and steeped in boiling water for a
calming tea.
There are many other beautiful ornamental grasses for the garden other
than those mentioned above. The only trouble is in deciding which ones
to leave behind.
Author: Elmer Fizz
About the author:
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